This was just before the ship embarked on a 19-day trans-Atlantic voyage, which will end when it arrives in Venice, Italy on the 13th April. The ship also received a 100% sanitation rating in 2005, 2009 and 2010.

Her sister ship,the Costa Mediterranea, received a perfect score in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

The CDC inspections form part of the U.S. Vessel Sanitation Program and are required of all ships calling at U.S. ports. The inspections are conducted by the U.S. Public Health Service twice a year. These guys are thorough: they assess a ship in 48 different areas, including sanitation and hygiene of food - from storing it right through to the preparation process. The ship’s water is also tested, the staff is rated and then the rest of the ship is inspected.

This year’s summer season kicks off with the Costa Atlantica embarking on the first of a series of 7-day Mediterranean cruises. Sailing from Venice, the ship will visit exciting ports such as Dubrovnik in Croatia, Istanbul and Izmir in Turkey, Olympia in Greece and Bari in Italy.

Later in the season the Atlantica will cruise to Copenhagen, from where it will embark on cruises to the Baltic capitals and the Norwegian fjords.